Heiseikan Shiosaitei — Hotel in Hakodate

We returned to Heiseikan Shiosaitei, a peaceful resort hotel in the quiet Yunokawa Onsen area. This was our second time staying here, and even though we chose a more affordable room this time, it still exceeded our expectations and was a great part of our journey.||The room, although smaller than before, was still comfortable and well-equipped. They provided yukata and slippers for us to use during the stay, adding to the authentic experience. The private onsen bath on the balcony was a real treat, offering a relaxing experience with beautiful views. The room also had a proper bathtub and toilet, making it even more convenient. Other amenities included an air purifier, a water boiler, a medium-sized fridge, two chairs and a table, as well as a dining table with two seats—everything we needed for a comfortable stay.||We went for the half-board package, which included both dinner and breakfast. Dinner was a highlight, especially the free-flowing snow crab. It was paired with a variety of tasty dishes that really showed off the local flavors. The breakfast was just as good, giving us a solid start to the day with some delicious Japanese options.||The hotel’s location is also really convenient. It’s just a 20-minute bus ride from the Hakodate Bus Terminal, so it’s easy to get to, but still far enough away from the city to feel like a quiet retreat.||Overall, Heiseikan Shiosaitei is a great choice if you want to experience Hakodate’s onsen culture in a calm and comfortable setting. With its great amenities, amazing food, and peaceful atmosphere, it’s a perfect spot for anyone looking to relax. Whether it’s your first time visiting or you’re coming back, you won’t be...

If you can afford it, consider staying at this hotel. We splurged on a washitsu (Japanese style) suite with "in room" rotenburo (outdoor bath). It was expensive, but we probably won't be back to Hakodate for at least 5 or 6 years, if ever. So, worth the money, for two reasons:

1. the rotenburo with a view of the ocean
2. the buffet breakfast and dinner. This is where a big part of the expense comes from, as it is built into the price of the room.

Aside from the rotenburo, the suite was two tatami rooms (and bathroom, shower, etc.). One had two chairs facing the ocean. The other had the traditional short table. No beds - the staff come in while you are at dinner and put out the futons for sleeping. They clean up the next day (don't remember if it was while we were at breakfast, but it might have been).

The hotel does have smaller, less expensive rooms, and they do have men's and women's communal baths, so you don't have to splurge on a rotenburo room.

The food was incredible. I'm usually not a huge fan of any buffet, but Japanese ones are okay and the breakfast and dinner here were excellent. Each meal has one set item and then you supplement it with whatever you want from the buffet. Our dinner included grilled fish the first night and a small sukiyaki the second night. Both were excellent. Drinks aside from water, juice, or coffee are extra, though.

The one downside is that the hotel is a little ways from the station - and pretty much all the sightseeing stuff is best gotten to from the station. The taxi from the station to the hotel was about 2,000 yen if I...

Let's give credit where credit is due. The staff is amazing. They are always super friendly, happy and there to help. We booked an ocean view room with open air bath and the room was amazing. Very big, very clean tatami room. Even though this room had an ash tray it did not smell of smoke at all and it is usually the first thing i will notice when I enter a room. Our room was on the second floor, near the buffet and we were not bothered by sound. The open air bath was nice nice because it also included faucets to add cold or hot water so that you can moderate the temperature. Where the hotel loses a point for me is the buffet. When you first arrive you are shocked to see the size but then you realize that it is split in half and that the choices are replicated on the other side. The options are limited if you are like me and are not a fan of seafood, if you are a fan of sea food you might love this hotel. My meal consisted of fried chicken balls, sliced steak and ramen noodles. Taste was nothing to write home about. I really wanted to give this hotel 5 stars but it had one of the weakest food variety offerings I've seen so far in Japan. I'd recommend the hotel any day however I would skip the...